A silver standard is a monetary system where a country's currency is directly backed by a fixed,, declared weight of silver. Under this system, the value of banknotes and coins is pegged to a specific amount of physical silver, which holders can often redeem or exchange. Historically dominant until the late 19th century, it acted as a stable foundation for international trade before most nations shifted to the gold standard or fiat currency.
The silver standard is not currently being used by any country. China and Hong Kong were the last nations to use a silver standard, abandoning it in 1935. By this time, most nations had already moved to a gold standard.
Silver must meet a certain fineness of 92.5% to reach the sterling standard. ² Once verified, the object receives the government's official stamp of approval: the hallmark. This history of markings reflects a dedication to heritage and craftsmanship that spans generations.
Silver standards refer to the standards of millesimal fineness for the silver alloy used in the manufacture or crafting of silver objects. This list is organized from highest to lowest millesimal fineness, or purity of the silver. Fine silver has a millesimal fineness of 999.
The Silver Standard: Solving a medieval money mystery
What does "silver standard" mean?
The silver standard is a monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account is a fixed weight of silver. Silver was far more widespread than gold as the monetary standard worldwide, from the Sumerians c. 3000 BC until 1873.
Fiat money started to predominate during the 20th century. Since US President Richard Nixon's decision to suspend US dollar convertibility to gold in 1971, a system of national fiat currencies has been used globally.
The minting of silver coinage of the pound sterling ceased completely in 1946 for similar reasons, exacerbated by the costs of the Second World War. New "silver" coinage was instead minted in cupronickel, an alloy of copper and nickel containing no silver at all.
The product is a circulated silver 1 shilling coin from New Zealand, minted in 1934 during the reign of King George V. This coin has a fineness of 0.5 and has not been certified. It is a valuable and collectible piece of world coinage representing a specific era and country in Oceania.
With the dollar depreciating against the world's major currencies such as the euro and the yen, gold prices will rise. Because the price of gold is traded in dollars, so when the dollar weakens Gold is cheaper compared to other currencies that investors hold.
The 80/50 rule for silver is an investment strategy using the gold-to-silver ratio: buy silver when the ratio (ounces of silver to 1 ounce of gold) hits above 80, indicating silver is undervalued, and sell/switch to gold when it drops near 50, suggesting silver is expensive. This rule helps investors rotate capital to the cheaper precious metal, aiming to profit from relative price swings, but it's a historical guide, not a guarantee, and should be used with other economic factors.
In medicine and medical statistics, the gold standard, criterion standard, or reference standard is the diagnostic test or benchmark that is the best available under reasonable conditions. It is the test against which new tests are compared to gauge their validity, and it is used to evaluate the efficacy of treatments.
The better choice is based, in large part, on your goals. Silver bars tend to win on price efficiency and stacking simplicity. Coins tend to win on recognition, liquidity and resale flexibility. In a market where silver prices and premiums can change quickly, understanding those trade-offs matters.
Silver is up strongly amid recent geopolitical tensions, but there are bigger reasons for it to continue soaring in 2026. A possible June catalyst, combined with soaring industrial demand, could send prices much higher from here.
Take out any pennies, half-pennies, 12-sided brass three-penny coins, and silver coins dated 1947 to the present day. These coins contain no precious metal. We still buy these at £3 per kilo. Pick out all the silver coins dated from 1920 to 1946 - these are your 50% silver coins.
The 1965 Washington quarter was the first US quarter not made of 90% pure silver. This transition from silver "hard money" to copper coinage resulted in the rare and valuable 1965 silver quarter—one of the most sought-after transitional error coins in American numismatics.
The 'Bob' The term 'shilling' might be derived from a Roman coin called a solidus, or the old English term 'scield'. Eventually, it adopted the nickname 'bob', although quite why remains a mystery. There have been attempts to link its name to the famous politician Sir Robert Walpole.
1. Lebanese Pound (LBP) The Lebanese Pound (LBP) is currently the world's weakest currency. Lebanon's financial crisis, political instability, and declining foreign reserves have contributed to the pound's decline.
The shilling prior to 1920 contains 0.1682 oz of silver, and this gives a bullion value of about £2.22 or US$2.78. Shillings from the period 1920 to 1946 contain 0.0909 oz of silver and thus have a bullion value of £1.20 or US$1.50.
For example, if high liquidity and financial agility are the main objectives, cash would win. However, gold is the answer if you're looking for wealth preservation, price stability, portfolio diversification, and even financial growth in the long run.
The use of fiat money is based on trust that the central bank will guarantee its value over time (price stability). That is why it is called fiat (from the Latin fiducia, which means trust).
